confused by backup repository format documentation

[SteveOw]

I hope someone can clarify this for me.

Documentation seems to indicate that I can use Linux-based storage (ie ext4 or brtfs) for backup storage if the Veeam server attaches via NFS. Elsewhere, however, the docs seem to indicate that an NTFS (or ReFS) format is required.

I have a Synology box that I can format ext4 which I would like to use, but I cannot tell if it will work or not. Is there a way to use this type of storage for VB for MS365?

Thanks!

[Mildur]

Hi Steve

Can you show me where our official documentation writes about NFS Shares for VB365 Backup repositories? Do you have a link?

Officially supported backups storages from the guide:

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo36 ... tml?ver=60

- A local directory on a backup proxy server.
- Direct Attached Storage (DAS) connected to the backup proxy server.
- Storage Area Network (SAN). A backup server must be connected to the SAN fabric using hardware, virtual HBA or software iSCSI initiator.
- Network Attached Storage (SMB shares version 3.0 or later).

SMB is only experimental support and not recommended to be used as a backup repository for VB365. And it requires the SMB server to be in the same or trusted active directory domain as the VB365 server.
https://www.veeam.com/kb2971

With a synology as backup target, I would configure a iSCSI LUN and connect it to the windows VB365 server and format it with NTFS.
That‘s also what our kb article about smb shares is suggesting as best practice.

Thank you
Fabian

[SteveOw]

Hi Fabian,

I may be reading it incorrectly, but I have this on p. 147 of the User's Guide:

Direct Attached Storage (DAS)
In Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365, you can use the following Microsoft Windows and Linux-based storage types as backup repositories:
A Windows-based server with local or directly attached storage.
Such storage can be a local disk, directly attached disk-based storage (such as a USB hard drive), or iSCSI/FC SAN LUN in case the server is connected into the SAN fabric.

Linux-based storage connected to the Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 server.
Such storage can be a local disk, directly attached disk-based storage (such as a USB hard drive), NFS share, or iSCSI/FC SAN LUN in case the server is connected into the SAN fabric. The storage must then be provisioned to the Windows-based server VM as a volume in the guest OS.

[Mildur]

I believe, I found it:
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo36 ... tml?ver=60

NFS doesn‘t seem right to me, even if it‘s technical possible. I will check it internally.
Please use iSCSI as recommended, if you have a NAS system. It‘s the most stable option.

Thank you
Fabian

[alesovodvojce]

NFS is still listed as supported protocol in v8. https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbo36 ... tml?ver=80

However, we too are not able to connect to any NFS repository.

[Mildur]

Hi alesovodvojce,

NFS directly connected to the VB365 server is not supported. I will discuss with tech writer how we can rephrase the statement on our help center.
What we support is connecting NFS storage to a Linux machine and then provide that storage somehow as a volume to a VB365 machine.
One example: NFS Storage as a vSphere datastore, then create a virtual disk on that datastore and assign it to a VB365 machine.

But we strongly recommended to use object storage as target for Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 backups.
Only with object storage will you get features such as Proxy Pools for scaling out, support for Proxy on Linux machines, immutability, and copy jobs.
Additionally, you will achieve much better compression and stability with object storage-based repositories compared to Jet databases.

Best,
Fabian